Just 4 weeks into the 2021 season, Cowboys working again Ezekiel Elliott suffered what was later revealed to be {a partially} torn PCL in his knee, an harm that may have ended the season of many gamers.
But Elliott solid forward, enjoying by way of the ache for the the remainder of the season and into the playoffs, placing up numbers which may not have been to up to his regular customary however have been still excellent contemplating the circumstances.
When requested in regards to the issue of enjoying each week with such an harm, the 26-year-old solely stated he believes it was simply what is predicted in soccer, and he had by no means thought-about sitting out.
“I mean, I was hurt last year, but it’s football, after Week 1 no one is going to be 100%. That’s part of the game,” Elliott stated after Dallas’ OTA exercises on Thursday. “I think I knew I was tough, I think I knew I could play through injuries … it was definitely tough, but hey, it’s my job.”
Even regardless of the harm, Elliott still began each recreation for the Cowboys, together with Dallas’ Wild Card Round loss to the San Francisco 49ers. He collected 1,002 yards dashing and 10 touchdowns, including one other 287 yards and two touchdowns by way of the air. He completed with the seventh-most dashing yards and tied for seventh within the league in dashing TDs.
For many different working backs across the NFL, that may be a profession yr. But not Elliott.
The former first-round choose has persistently performed at such a excessive stage in his six years within the league, dashing for over 900 yards each season and over 1,300 in three of them, that he still feels that he still wants to show himself this yr after not enjoying at full energy final yr.
“I think every year we’ve got something to prove,” Elliott said.
And his continual dedication to the team has not gone unnoticed, as guard Zack Martin said the whole team recognizes how far Elliott has been willing to go in recent years in order to contribute to a team that has often found itself struggling due to injuries.
“He’s a bulldog,” Martin stated. “He loves this team and he gives everything of himself for this team. The last two years, that’s shown. Think back to 2020. Half of the offense is out and Zeke is still in there carrying the ball 20 times a game. So, we’ve got a lot of love on this team for Zeke, and we’re pumped to get him back going the right direction.”
At this level within the offseason, Elliott seems to be nicely on his means to regaining his former standing among the many high working backs. After just a few months of rehab, the PCL harm has absolutely healed, and coach Mike McCarthy even claimed that Elliott had been clocked at 22 mph in a current apply. Elliott shook off McCarthy’s phrases as an exaggeration, however a wholesome Ezekiel Elliott could be a harmful device for a Cowboys offense that’s wanting to re-establish itself and make it again to the playoffs.